Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-09-12
THE PUBLIC PARK.
rHB PROJECT 10 USE THB GROUNDS OF
Tbs STATE PAIR ASSOCIATION.
What Secretary George Hook has to Say
Regarding the Matter-fO-NighSs
Meeting.


nance 70 be submitted to Council, and
talk over the project in q general way.
There is . probability that the original
plans will undergo a very material altera-
ton before the thing is brought to a head,
as the proposal to change the location oil
the park from the old Fair Grounds to the
grounds of the State Fair Association
seems to have a good many friends in in
Auential quarters.
A REGISTER reporter met Mr.. George
Hook, the Secretary Of the State Fair As
ISOLATION, yesterday, just as the gentleman
had finished reading the item in this paper,
wherein a gentleman expressed a prefer
euce for the present Fair Grounds, and
hacked il up with q few reasons. In reply
10 a question as to what he thought OF the
proposition to combine the proposed Park
and the State Fair on n and the sam
tract of land, Mr.. Hook said:
al am very much pleased with the pro-
iect. | think it would be a very good
thing both for the city and our AssOcia-
ton"
ION what grounds do you favor the
idea?"
"Well the reasons assigned in the REG
IsTER this morning are very nearly to my
notion. The State Fair Association has
been in an embarrassed condition ever
since it has been in existence, with a large
debt to carry over from year to year. lt
has not been able to pay of but q small
amoupt of this Indebtedness annually, In
addition 10 the accrued interest AT the
same time no other enterprise that we have
ever had has done 80 much to build up the
town as the Fair Association, and anything
that can be done to help 1t along n
ensure its permanency will consequently
inure to the prosperity OF the W ms
being the case, and every one must ADMIT
il. | would suggest that the Park Commit
tee, which, | understand, ia to meet to-
morrow evening, take into consideration
the question of keeping in existence an IN
%stitution which has done more to BRING
peoule here annually than any other one
thing in the city. In the present hnancla
condition of the Association 1t IS liable TO
90 under any year if We happen to have a
rainy week during the time set tor the
| Far. for we could not stand a loss OF bali
a-dozen thonSapd dollars on top OF our
present debt"
s'What is the Association willing to do
in the way of joining hands with the COM
mittee or this city, should Council look on
| the matter with IaEGrr'
"Let the park committee make a
| fair proposition to the stockholders anu
the Board Of Directors Of the State Fair
| Association, and for one l will use all my
| influence to have il, or any other sugges-
tions that the committees Hl%S '.-I-'
oantsd All that / have in view Is 10 give
~ the people a park that Is accessiDle ~
fonr-ffths of the people III our city, auu
especially the working class, VINO i've IL nJ
Tb;rd Fonrth. Fifth, Sixth, Seventh ana
| Eigbtb wards, and at the same m TX u.
aapGRggihhii A faiE E its FttiO anCS0'' An1
Then you think the location OF the
present Fair Grounds would make : much
better park than the site of the old grounds
on the other side of the lsland?"
"Why, there can be scarcely a doubt OF
| that. YoG cen have the new line OF street
cars running down So2th Front street ana
north again on South Penn stTeet. or either
! South Broadway, South York or souta
| HurSa streets can be opened. up-and they
must be so44s day-and the car lines
run along the nOEtas-n boundary
of the park and dp one
or these streets. That done, and
YOU have cot Ionly elegant communi-
cation with the Variors parts of the city,
but the river is right at hand, making the
grounds accessible by ferry or sKlh lines
from all the river front of the town. The
grounds will be bGGpded on the east and
vest by the river, and thns not only are
they s~nsceptible OF great improvement
but patrons Of the grounds have the ad'
vantage of a river view which extends for
miles, whereas, ON the cd Fair Grounds
the view is ut once shut out by the Srldge-
port hills. Yoa spoke . moment a."
about the conditions the Fair Association
would want. My idea OF them would ne
something like this: ,
First, pay the present indebtedness Of
the Fair Association.
Second, appoint a Park Commission,
and give il absolute control OF the grounds
during about forty-nine o. Gfty OF the nifty
two weeks in the year, with full poSer 10
the city to make all improvements and
Law out the groundsi in a manner calculated
10 afford the public the largest measure OF
pleasure ans satisfaction.
Third, give the Fair Association power
over the grounds during tws Or three weeks
at fair time-say two weeks betose the
date of fair and fair week itself.
This, or something like it, would
probably meet with the approval OF our
directors, ssd aul very sure it would be
to the interest of tie eatirs community.
l think the city, if the arrangement have
outlined be looked on favorably, ought to
ct once buy the fifteen acres Of land west
OF the present fair grounds, and straighten
the line to the river. That would give q
good forty acres OF gFoaDd. The present
buildings could easily be ehaseed around
so as TO not at sll interfere with the laying
out of the grounds in walks and drives,
and our owners Of carriages and
fast horses would at all times, X
cept during ths progress Of the fair,
have one of the best hslfpile tracks
in the country at their free disposal. an
other thought. The Base Ball AssOcia-
ton could have one OF the finest grounds
in the country, with a grand stand capac-
ity equal Il any reasonable demand, and
all free of aRy cost for erection. The
grounds have great ~pSsShilities, and at
the same time we kill another bard in that
the State Fair is made a fixture beyond
the shadow of q doubt"
''But Dir. Hook, what about the idea
ofmsking the proposed Park a Memorial
Park"
That thing has occurred &c Eae, too.
l don't see anything in the way of calling
q pleasure ground on the south end of the
Island Memorial Park. or Veteran Park,
or G. A. 4. Park, or anything else you
want to. The memory of the soldiers
could be referred to in just the same way
as though the old Fair Grounds weca pur-
chased. These thoughts are for the ben
eft Of the public; l think | shall present
them To tie committee at its meeting this
evening"